State Superintendent: Schools built before 2010 must test drinking water for lead

SACRAMENTO - Schools built before 2010 must test their drinking water for lead, California Super Intendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced on Thursday.

In 2017, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 746, requiring community water systems to complete lead testing by July 1, 2019.

“Cooperation with local water systems is critical to ensure proper testing,” Torlakson said.

Lead can cause many health issues even at low levels. Children six years and younger are at most risk to adverse health effects caused by lead.

The EPA estimates that 10 to 20 percent of lead exposure for children comes from drinking water. The biggest culprit: lead pipes, fixtures, and hardware from which lead can leach.

Over the last few years, multiple school districts across the state have been found to have elevated levels of lead coming from their tap water. In October, 2017, trace amounts of lead were found to be in the water at some Goleta elementary schools.

For more information regarding the lead sampling in California schools, click here.